Ignition apparatus for internal-combustion engines



F. H. RoYcE IGNITION APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Feb. 1g,41929.

Filed Oct. 27, 1925 5 She`ets-Sheet l m Il* y l Feb. l2, 1929;"

F. H. ROYCE IGNIIVON APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed00T" 27. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 12, 1929. 1,701,697

F. H. ROYCE IGNITION APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES FiledOct. 27, 1925 l 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 'Patented Ea. 12,1929.v

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.)

FREDERICK HENRY ROYCE, 0F WEST WITTERING, NEAR CHICHESTER, ENGLAND, A S-SIGNOR T0 ROLLS-ROYCE LIMITED, OF NIGHTINGALE ROAD, DERBY, ENGLAND.V

IGNITION APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application led October 27, 1925, Serial No. 65,259, and in GreatBritain November 17, 1924i.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for automaticallycontrolling the timing of cylinders of internal combustion engines. Morespecifically, it is designed as an improvement in apparatus of the typedisclosed in my United States Patent 1,163,692, VDecember 14, 1915, inwhich a speed responsive device controls a relay valve to introduce asource of energy, independent of such de-` vice, for operating the sparkcontrol.

One of the main obfects of the present invention is therefore toincrease the sensitiveness. of apparatus of this type by decreasing Vasmuch as possible the resistance offered by the relay valve to movementby the speed responsive device, and to transfer the operationk of sparkas much as possible to the relayed source of operating energy.

Another object of the invention is to connect thespark control to theautomaticrelay by a linkage which is adapted for manual operationindependently of its automatic operation bv the relay.,

" Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the detaileddescription of the apparatus proceeds.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a view showing in central vertical section,the speed responsive relay mechanism of theinvention connected up to thespark control linkage, shown partly broken away and in elevation; Y

Fig. 2 is a plan of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;v

Fig. 3 is fragmentary plan view of tm linkage-shown in Fir?. l;

Figs; 4 and 5 are similar plan views of said linkage, with thel partsthereof shown in different operative positions;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 6 6 of Figure 3; and,

Fig. 7, is a vertical section on the line `77` of Figure 3.

Referring to Fig. l, the numeral 1 desig A lever L fulcrumed on the pina2 fixed to the casing 1 has the free end of its Shorter arm a0 pivotedto the sleeve a, and has the free end of its long arm alpivoted to theend of rod d1 to control the operation :of kthe balanced relay valve,reciprocable in the caslternaldiameter of cylinder?)1 is detachablyclamped to the casing concentrically with 4 cylinder b1, by means oftheycup b3 Screwthreaded onto the lower end of the cylinder b1 any suitablegaskets` g and kg1 being interposed between the adjacent ends of casing`b member b2 and Vcup b3, respectively, to ensure proper liquid tightiitbetween these` parts.y

In the cylindrical space b4 between cylinder b1 and member b2 there isclamped the liltering screen b,`to trap any sediment or other matter, inthe oil forced through pipe 22 from the lubricating system, whichmight ytend to prevent proper operation of the Sleeve piston c which 1sreciprocably mounted in the cylinder b1. n

The piston c is expandedat its upper end to form apiston head of largerdiameter than pistoncand slidable in cylinder y of the f same diameterformed in the casing b. This piston head forms with the bottom ofcylinder y a stop to limit the downward movement of the piston c. Thepiston c yis pro vided with a row of apertures c1 adaptedto aline withthe apertures b in cylinder b when the piston is in its lowest position;andis also provided inthe expanded head a: with rows of apertures c2 andc3, the apertures c2 communieating with the dished out part b5 ofpistonhead 4, and the apertures c? terminatingat their upper ends inthek annular spacepc., A cylindrical recess c5 is formed in theperiphery of piston o and of a lengthsuiicient to establishcommunication between the aper-f tures b and c1 throughout the entirerange of movementof the piston c in the cylinder b1., A leather oiltight ring-c6 is'secured to j said head w by means ofthe metal ,plateeYand i locknut Ac, v l.

Anni

In order to effect lifting movement ol piston c, the latter is formed ascylinder within which ya cylindrical member CZ is slidably mounted andis connected at its bottom .by a

' universal joint to a rod (Z1 having its upper endpivoted to the freeend'ot t ie lever arm al olf the speed responsive apparatus. The memberal is designed for movement in the piston c and is provided with acylindrical recess in its periphery oi suflcient length to maintain itconstantly in communication with row 'of apertures c1 in piston c. rl`heuniversal joint ond of mem- Y ber d is also provided with a rowo'iapertures (Z4 to permit the escape or oil that might overflow fromaperture c? und-er certain conditionsof relative movement between pistonc and member d. i

' 4to'thefshalt f1 journaledf in the capi; ning Z) which is suitablybolted or otberw lplug f3` and the diaphragm 2 i ranged a spiralcompression lthe piston c closely follows the movement of the' member dbecause, as the member l -r Resting on top of the piston headcylindrical piston c slidahle in cylinder c1 ston c and The-'piston c isprovidedv with diaphragme c2 and apart 15o-receive between 'them i curedto casing Z).

The cylinder el is closed at its anp-er and by a screw'threaded plug/t3,and betv Vcen this there is arwhich spring .g resists the upwardmovements oi piston c and returns it to its lowest initial positioniavbn the oil pressur is removed. A

The shaft f1 entends through its journal ff" and has secured to theprojecting end thereof, the lever arm ft which, with sha-ift ,tl l Ldthe arm f constitutes a bell crank lever controlling the operatingAlinkage of *he spark control. Y

The operation oi' the apparatus so y scribed is somewhat as follows:Willen' engine starts the sleeve e is draw dow-n Ac f1 l Alyby thecentrifugal governor' meclianis i;

accordance with the speed or theV en@v This movement, through arms a0,blanc Z1 raises the member Z until its recess Z3 communicates with theaperture c2; Se long recess (Z3 connnunicates with aperture c2, o underpressure from lthe lubricating system is forced into the dished outrecess b5 (through pipe Z222, apertures 2), c1, recess cl3, and ai uture c2) and, acting under expanded head 03 raises the piston 3 againstresistmcel or" spring g torotate bell crank arm j, thereby'operate thespark control linkage.

lt will be apparent lrom-the drawing that under thefinliuence of thecentrifugal d- ',-it opens-the ports'c2 and'thereupon the piston 'cunderthel influence o-oil pressure device is raised, till by such movementthe .ports c2 are limited sliding l again closed; while on the otherhand if the member d (under the influence of the centrifugal device whenthe speed decreases) descends, the ports c4' are opened and thereuponunder the influence of spring g (the oil presbeenreleased) the'piston c'descends until by such movement the ports c* are closed again. n Thepiston c therefore follows the member CZ, both in its upward anddownvward movement, but is actuated wholly by oil pressure, while themember d is subjected to nov unbalanced axial pressure whatever, -andtherefore relievesthe centrifugal device `from any load incidental lothe operation of the spark controlled mechanism. f

The spring s is necessarily designed so tha when theports c2 are openityields belorerthe oil pressure, but'when the ports c4 are open' it'lorces the-'piston 'c downwards. Y

The exhaust oil emanating froml ports 04 when the speed of the engine isdecreasing (necessarily a constantly recurring event) -lallsdown 'thehollow member Z and passes VVth'rough the holes (Zt until the cap b3 andthe l f hollow memberd are full olf oil, and thence- 'forthvthe"exhaustoil overflows the top of the Apiston@ and 'lalls into thesump, the cap b3 and memberd remaining always full ol' oil.

As will be obvious from the drawing, all axialand other pressure on thevalve d dueto oil pressure and tending` to resist movement thereof inits cylinder, are eliminated or balancedby causing the oil to enter thecylinder walls radially and arrangingthe cylindrical recesses. dasymmetrically around the periphery. `of the., member o7?.

bis will be obvious from the drawing, all axial pressure on the valve dtending to resist .movements thereofr in its cylinder areeliminatedfbycausing the Voil to enter the cylinder walls radially, `andarranging the cylindrical'recesses datand c5 lrelative tothe oilpassages so that the axial pressure er;-

J erted vat one end of each recess vis counterbalanced by the pressureat the other end thereof. x

Referring to Figs. 3 to 7, inclusive, It desigv nates a bracket boltedto any suitable part of vthe engine or chassis `to support a tubularmember h1 having the spindle 72,2 mounted to rotate in'bearings h3therein. ihe lever A4 having two apertured bosses at oneend thereof, issecured by its bossl /L5 to the end of spindle h2, and a pin las isfixedly secured in the other apertured boss 7x55. 1

`Two brackets `i similarly bolted to any suitable part of the engine-orchassis carry a tubular member Pin `wh'ch the spindle i2 is mounted torotate in the bearings i3. The lever t havinoutwo apertured bosses andc55, 4at one endjrhereo`, is secured by its boss ,toithe :projectingendet the` pin 2, and a pivot-pin 'i-Jhas its lower end` fixed' in thelot-her apertured boss e155.,

"The levers y' and 7c,' normally parallel to each other, are centrallyfulcrumed to rotate on pivots h and 6, respectively. One end of lever jis pivotally connected to the end of a rod jl which is operablyconnected to the magneto advance and retard device; and one Y end of thearm le is pivotally connected to the end of a rod 701 operably connectedto the battery advance and retard device. The other ends of the levers jand are pivotally connected to each other by the link Z. A link Z1 hasone end pivotally connected to the pvot connecting the end link Z tolever la, and has its other end `connected by a universal joint to thefree end of the arm f4 of the speed responsive relay.

A hand operated lever m is pivotally connected to the free end of thelever i4, and a link n pivotally connects the free end of lever with theend of a lever 44 which with lever 4 forms a bell crank fixed to theprojecting end of the spindle 2.

kIt will be evident from Figures 3, 4;, and 5, that the hand control moperates by moving the fulcrums h6 and e about their fixed pivot pins k2and i2, without disturbing the position of the link Z, which istherefore controlled, as to position, by the centrifugal oil pressuredevice alone. It therefore results that each control superimposes itseffect on that of the other.

In the examples shown with the controls set as in Fig. 3, the magnetoignition occurs 12o l before top deadcenter and the battery ignition 10after top dead centre, a gap of 22 occurring, consequently, between thetwo.

Zhen the hand control is moved to the position shown in Fig. 4bothignitions occur 20 before top dead centre. Thus the magneto is onlyadvanced but the battery is advanced 300, this inequality being securedby arranging that the spindle ZL is displaced a minimum amountlaterally, while spindle i5 is displaced a maximum amount. In theposition shown in Fig. 5, both ignitions occur 50 before top deadcentre.The operation of the controls by the automatic device always moves bothignitionsa like amount (which is 30 maximum) and the ignitions becomesynchronized as soon as the hand controlis advanced from full retardposition through about half its total range.y

l. The combination with an internal combustion engine having apressurefeed lubricating system, and a timing device, of a casing havinga cylinder formed therein and having a'second cylinder of smaller'diameter than the first projecting concentrically with the first fromthe bottom of said casing and having a row of radial apertures in theperiphery thereof, a fitting for conducting lubricant under pressurefrom said system radially into said second cylinder through saidapertures, a cylindrical piston slidablein the second cylinder andhaving a dished head vided with holes for thepassage of fluid` from saidpassageways 'into and out of the dished partof said head, a valveslidable in said piston to control the flow of fluid through said holes,and means operatively connecting said head to said timing device.

2. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a pressurefeed lubricating system, and a timing device, of a cylinder, means forconducting fluid from said system radially into said cylinder,acylindrical piston reciprocable iny said cylinder by the action of saidfluid thereon, a valve slidable -in said piston to control thereciprocation Vof said pistonby said fluid,fa support for said cylinder,a lever fulcrumed on said support and having one end thereof pivotallyconnected to said valve, means responsive to the engine speed `forrocking said lever about its fulcrum and spring controlled meansoperatively connect-ing said piston to said timing device. i

3. Timing apparatus including a cylinder provided with radial apertures,a cylindrical piston provided with apertures registrable with the firstnamed apertures, reciprocable therein, fluid under pressure enteringsaid cylinder radially and operating axially on said piston to controlthe operation of the latter, a valve reciprocable in said piston tocontrol the operation of said fluid thereon and having a cylindricalfluid receiving recess shaped to balance the pressure thereon of saidfluid in all directions, and means for reciprocating said valve. A 4.The combination with an internal coinbustion engine provided with twoignition systems having spark timing devicesy therein, a member variablymovable in response to the speed of the engine, and alinkage pivotallyand nonslidably connecting said member to saiddevices to control themovements therelinkage,iand operable independently of said member tomove the parts of the first named linkage connected directly to saiddevices simultanecusly and relative to each other.

"7. Iny combination with an internal combustion engine having a fluidpressure feed system radially only into said cylinder,4 a pistonreeiprocable in said cylinder in response to pressure of the oil thereonand being` provided with supply and exhaust ports 'for the oil actingthereon, valve mechanism controlling the flow of oilv through saidports, speed responsive means operated by said enn Witness whereof Ihave signed this spec-4 ification.

'ifnnnnnioi HENRY RoYoE. l

